Don't worry be happy (rev1.1)
Work day #2 after the Christmas holiday. It was raining cats and dog. I literaly swam to work. With an umbrella on one hand and a cup of coffee on another, I navigated through the swampy parking lot. My scrubs are getting soaked in rain water. I'm not worried, it's just water. But as soon as I get to my unit, the cold water has found it's way up my thighs and I'm feeling kinda cold. The coffee and my navigator jacket kept my core warm. Sooner than expected, the damp scrubs were dry.
I found out around 9 a.m. that I was assigned in the wrong unit. My director was specially apologetic and a nursing supervisor offered me a choice of free movie ticket or a free meal. I asked for both but she was not willing to give out both. I picked the no calorie choice.
The DOU (Direct Observation Unit) was very busy. More than I'm used to. I've worked nights when there are very few distractions like social workers, discharge planners, speech pathologists, 4-6 specialists per patient who write numerous orders. There was a complicated patient transfer that involved family issues of health care decisions. It goes on and on. I kept an even keel, too overwhelmed to complain and bitch about it. I kept thinking that being positive will attract positive outcomes, and it did. My director was even offering to hang meds for me. I told her I'm on top of things and that I need to chart. I'm talking about computer charting based on DOS. I need to learn more about the software because it wasn't something I was used too. I've been playing with computers since DOS 1.1 but this beast was not in my archive of computer instincts. A whole different kind of software.
Another challenge was using weird looking urine collection cups. To work my way out of it, I smiled at my nurse's aid and asked her if she knows how to use it. I also commented on how cute she was with my patient and that he is such a lucky patient to have such a cute nurse's aid. Next thing I know, she was collecting it for me. Moving on to the next patient.
It was a long day but I kept my head up and smiled at people. The charge nurse was particulary helpful with dealing with the case managers. I just don't have the time to deal with phone work. Doctors I don't know poured in in droves. There was one doctor, Dr. W who is particularly nice and collaborative. It helps if docs include the nurses with the planning so that we can understand what the heck is going on.
One nurse commented that we are just basically a drug "dealer". Passing out meds and not doing much nursing. Modern nurses are not the same as the old school nurses. We seldom sit near our patients holding their hands and consoling them. In the ICU, there are so much acute physiological changes that are life threathening that we don't have time to do the touchy thing. It might seem cold but the business of keeping people alive is just that COLD.
Work day #2 after the Christmas holiday. It was raining cats and dog. I literaly swam to work. With an umbrella on one hand and a cup of coffee on another, I navigated through the swampy parking lot. My scrubs are getting soaked in rain water. I'm not worried, it's just water. But as soon as I get to my unit, the cold water has found it's way up my thighs and I'm feeling kinda cold. The coffee and my navigator jacket kept my core warm. Sooner than expected, the damp scrubs were dry.
I found out around 9 a.m. that I was assigned in the wrong unit. My director was specially apologetic and a nursing supervisor offered me a choice of free movie ticket or a free meal. I asked for both but she was not willing to give out both. I picked the no calorie choice.
The DOU (Direct Observation Unit) was very busy. More than I'm used to. I've worked nights when there are very few distractions like social workers, discharge planners, speech pathologists, 4-6 specialists per patient who write numerous orders. There was a complicated patient transfer that involved family issues of health care decisions. It goes on and on. I kept an even keel, too overwhelmed to complain and bitch about it. I kept thinking that being positive will attract positive outcomes, and it did. My director was even offering to hang meds for me. I told her I'm on top of things and that I need to chart. I'm talking about computer charting based on DOS. I need to learn more about the software because it wasn't something I was used too. I've been playing with computers since DOS 1.1 but this beast was not in my archive of computer instincts. A whole different kind of software.
Another challenge was using weird looking urine collection cups. To work my way out of it, I smiled at my nurse's aid and asked her if she knows how to use it. I also commented on how cute she was with my patient and that he is such a lucky patient to have such a cute nurse's aid. Next thing I know, she was collecting it for me. Moving on to the next patient.
It was a long day but I kept my head up and smiled at people. The charge nurse was particulary helpful with dealing with the case managers. I just don't have the time to deal with phone work. Doctors I don't know poured in in droves. There was one doctor, Dr. W who is particularly nice and collaborative. It helps if docs include the nurses with the planning so that we can understand what the heck is going on.
One nurse commented that we are just basically a drug "dealer". Passing out meds and not doing much nursing. Modern nurses are not the same as the old school nurses. We seldom sit near our patients holding their hands and consoling them. In the ICU, there are so much acute physiological changes that are life threathening that we don't have time to do the touchy thing. It might seem cold but the business of keeping people alive is just that COLD.
